PROCEDURE

Sponge

In a medium mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Stir in flour. Cover and set aside in warm place for 10 to 15 minutes.

Kugelhopf

Using electric mixer with dough hook, combine flour, sugar and salt. On low speed, stir in eggs and milk; knead dough for about 5 to 8 minutes. Work in butter and Kirsch; knead another 5 to 8 minutes. Add sponge mixture. Knead until dough is smooth, elastic and forms a ball, about 10 minutes. Mix in raisins and adjust dough with sprinkles of flour, if necessary. Cover and let rise for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until doubled in size. Punch down.

Brush Kugelhopf mold with 1 tablespoon softened butter, taking good care to butter swirls well to prevent unmolding disasters. Arrange one almond in each runnel. Gather dough into a ball; make a hole in the middle with your thumb and fit the dough around the tube in the mold. Mold should be about 2/3 full. Cover with a cloth and let rise in a warm spot, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until dough rises to rim of mold. Preheat oven to 400°F. Uncover and bake the Kugelhopf for about 45 minutes until golden brown. It should sound hollow when tapped. If surface begins to brown too quickly, cover with foil about halfway through baking time. Unmold and let cool on wire rack. Use a shaker to sprinkle with powdered sugar. Use a serrated knife to slice the Kugelhopf.